Masks and Unknowns
by and that's all she wrote
Summary: It's not prom, but somehow the dance between Nightwing and Artemis on Gotham's rooftops is more poignant than a high school dance could ever be. :: fifty sentences. Dick/Artemis.


**#01 – Ring**

"If I blatantly told you my ring size, would that be too big of a hint?"

"If I told you I already knew, would that make me the best detective or a creep?"

"… Depends on how you used that knowledge."

**#02 – Hero**

Their super-powered friends were always destined to lead lives like this—they were the ones that sacrificed normalcy, and that's something no one else can understand.

**#03 – Memory**

"Dick, how do you know whether to let go or hold on?"

"… I'll let you know when I figure that out."

**#04 – Box**

"You don't do well with rules, do you?"

**#05 – Run**

"Have you ever thought about just… leaving it all?" he asks her, and when his eyes meet hers he knows the answer.

**#06 – Hurricane**

"You're comparing me to one of the most destructive natural forces on the planet; what exactly am I supposed to make of that, Dick?"

"That I know better than to trifle with you and your awesome power."

"… Troll."

**#07 – Wings**

"I had a dream last night: you had these beautiful wings…"

"And?"

"And you took us far away."

**#08 – Cold**

All he knows at this moment is that he finds punching Icicle Junior far more satisfying than he should.

**#09 – Red**

She eyes the uniform with something like suspicion. "I liked the blue better."

**#10 – Drink**

He should have known she could drink him under the table—how could he have expected any less?

**#11 – Midnight**

"'Meet me at midnight'? Could you get anymore cliché, Robin?"

**#12 – Temptation**

"Where on earth did you find that… outfit?"

"Clearly it's a place I should visit more often, based on the way you're ogling."

**#13 – View**

"You were staring at my ass again, weren't you?"

**#14 – Music**

When every song begins to summon images of blond hair and gray eyes, he knows something has to be done.

**#15 – Silk**

"It should be a crime to have hair this soft."

**#16 – Cover**

"You jeopardized the mission by breaking cover—"

"I jeopardized the mission to save your sorry ass!"

**#17 – Promise**

"You lied to me—"

"Dick, I didn't, I swear—!"

"_Don't call me that_."

**#18 – Dream**

"It was just a dream—it wasn't real."

**#19 – Candle**

"How many candles can one house _have_?"

"When the power goes out regularly because the landlord forgot to pay up or a gang fight compromises the towers, you learn to be prepared."

**#20 – Talent**

"If your feet can accurately shoot a bow and arrow, what else can they do?"

"You have a rotten mind, Dick Grayson."

**#21 – Silence**

"Do they ever just talk like a normal couple?"

"That implies they _are_ a normal couple—which they're not."

**#22 – Journey**

"And who was it that got us temporarily_ banned_ from Keystone City?"

"Hey, that road trip was _your_ idea!"

**#23 – Fire**

His eyes rove over her, and she feels something not unlike the sensation of flames licking her skin—something unbearably _hot_.

**#24 – Strength**

They've defied the traditional definitions of heroism many times over

**#25 – Mask**

Her hands linger on the skin surrounding the material, her eyes searching his face for any sign of doubt or uncertainty, making sure he's absolutely sure—

"Artemis, just pull it off."

**#26 – Ice**

If it took an industrial-grade icepick, he'd get through to her.

**#27 – Fall**

Even over the roaring wind, he can hear her laughter threading its way through the air.

**#28 – Forgotten**

When Dick finds her, she's holding a picture of Artemis Crock and Jade Nguyen, aged about eight and thirteen.

**#29 – Dance**

It's not prom, but somehow the dance between Nightwing and Artemis on Gotham's rooftops is more poignant than a high school dance could ever be.

**#30 – Body**

It's not uncommon for them to argue about who has the better figure; they often end up calling it a draw—usually after a _long_ shower.

**#31 – Sacred**

"She's my city too, Dick."

**#32 – Farewells**

"I've always been crap at these goodbye things."

**#33 – World**

For right now, they're content to believe this rooftop is all there is.

**#34 – Formal**

Every time she looks at him—his stiff posture unchanging, his face professionally blank—she winces and wonders how they let things get so out of hand.

**#35 – Fever**

_It's not fair, _he thinks to himself, fighting to keep his temperature under control as he drinks in the sight of her.

**#36 – Laugh**

For a while, she thought she'd gotten used to his trademark cackle; then she realized he consciously modified it when he was around her, into something gentler and genuine.

**#37 – Lies**

"I guess I should be used to it, huh? After all, it's part of the gig, isn't it?"

He hates that he doesn't have an answer for her.

**#38 – Forever**

He makes her want to believe.

**#39 – Overwhelmed**

"How's that 'whelmed' thing working out, _Rob_?"

"Uh, pretty sure I passed that point _two minutes ago_!"

**#40 – Whisper**

"Shhhh," he urges, "any louder and you're gonna get us caught."

**#41 - Wait**

He'll always remember that first kiss: how it was like drawing fresh breath for the first time in years.

**#42 – Talk**

Though they perhaps have more to talk about than anyone else on the team, their time spent together is—more often than not—filled with silence.

The real surprise is how they manage to communicate as well as they do—as though they operate as one unit, one wavelength. All without uttering a word.

**#43 – Search**

"I'm pretty sure looking up ways to prank a speedster is an inappropriate use of Google."

"Quiet, Bird Brain, or I won't let you in on the joke."

**#44 – Hope**

Despite it being the result of misuse of the English language, "traught" has always meant _something_ to her—perhaps more than he ever intentioned.

**#45 – Eclipse**

"You're a performer at heart—haven't you ever wanted a bit more of the spotlight?"

"Robin is Batman's supporting act—he's not supposed to become the star."

**#46 – Gravity**

"Does _anything_ scare you?"

"… Falling with no way to stop."

**#47 – Highway**

Gotham's streets are clogged, making the air thick with rancid smog; Artemis and Robin are the only ones on the team left mostly unaffected.

**#48 – Unknown**

He's not used to being unaware, to being confused and lacking a full understanding; for her, though, he thinks he can make that sacrifice.

**#49 – Lock**

"The Batcave was locked—"

"Batman didn't tell you, then."

"Tell me what?"

"You—you're not Batgirl anymore, Artemis."

**#50 – Breathe**

"So help me, Artemis, if you don't start breathing I'm going to kill you!"

* * *

_I swear I wrote the last one before Depths came out._

_Anyway. I actually posted these on Tumblr a few weeks ago as a birthday gift (-cough- you guys should follow me at museumheist to get stuff sooner as well as previews/scraps you won't see on FF - cough-)  
_

_Also, I'd refrain from putting this on your alerts, as it's highly unlikely to be updated._


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